Kafir-corn header.



PATENTED NOV. 17', 1903.

R. M. HAMMOND. KAPIR CORN HEADER.

APPLICATION FILED 1421. a. 1903.

,NO MODEL.

"n1: mmms PEYEiS 60.. PHOTD-LITHD., WASNINGTON. u. c

No. 74.4,es4f

UNITED STAT S iatcnted November 17, 1903.

PATENT QFFIGEQ KAFlR-CORN HEADER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 744,684, dated November 17, 1903.

Application fileddannary 6, 1908. Serial No. 138,083. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LR L MARIONHAM- MOND, a citizen of the United States of Amer ica, residing at Portis, in the county of Osborne and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Kafir- Corn Headers, of which the following'is a specification, reference being-had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Myinvention has for its purpose the provision of an inexpensive, simple, yet. extremely useful attachment for farm-wagons to be employed in the heading of Kafir corn.

This device has the further purpose of en-- aoling one man to head the corn, when heretofore'in regions where thiscorn is raised at least two men have been required to perform this operation.

The specific construction .of my device whereby these purposes are accomplished will- Referring now more particularly to thedrawings, 1 represents a wagon-axle having wheels thereon Y supporting the ordinary wagon-body 2. Within the wagon-body 2 is the rear or end gate 3, secured therein in any ordinary manner. Upon this gate 3 is placed a second tail-gate 4,which is shown in Fig. 1, with a cutting-plate 4. The knife'5 consists of a blade having a cutting edge and is shown in a rectangular form, thoughIany other form will serve the purpose. This knife 5 is pivoted to the tail-gate 4 upon the edge 4:, as shown at 6, being I'GlIlOVflhlY'SBCIlI'Gd thereon by a bolt and nut, but may be at tached by any well-known means. Secured near the pivoted end of the knife 5 at the point Sis the angularly-disposed portion of an arm 7, extendingoutwardly from the body of the wagon. To this artn'is secured aspring 11, which is attached at the base of the body of the wagonto the staple l2. This spring by means of the arm 7 is kept out of contact with the wagon-wheel. It serves to normally hold the knife in an elevated position by means of its retractive force exerted at the end of the arm or lever 7. Secured to the other end of the knife at 10 is a second arm 9, which is slightly arched in the portion extending beyondthe knife, as seen at 10. The end of this arm 9 is perforated to receive the rod 15. Any other means of attaching this rod maybe employed; but this is simple and effective. This rod has a long portion extending down the body of the wagon and slidably mounted in a bracket '17, while above thebody of the wagon is an inwardly-bent portion 14 of the rod15, which is secured to the arm 9, as above described. Secured to the body of the wagon is a brace 13. This brace extends a short distance below the body 2, and bracket 17 is attached to this portion of the brace.- Above the body portion the brace 13 extends inwardly at an angle to the portion lying along the body of the wagon. This upper portion is bent in upon itself in substantially U shape, the end being secured by a piece 13 to the upwardly-extending arm, thereby forming a closed slot 19, which extends to approximately the level of the wagonbody. Within this slot the arm 9 of the knife 5 extends and is guided thereby in its upward-and-downward movement. To the tailgate 4 is secured a handle 18, which facilitates the handling of the gate. j

The operation of my device is as follows: The operator,standing upon the ground,places the heads of Kafir corn over the edge of the tail-gate 4, and then placing one foot in the stirrup 16, connected with the lower end of rod 20, presses down upon the same, thereby drawing down upon the rod 15, attached tothe knife 5, and forces the same against the stalks of the corn and in this way'severing the heads therefrom, much in thenature of the action of a pair of scissors. The heads fall into the wagon-body, and the stalks are formed into a pile or shock near the wagon, as is well known in the art. In this way one man can drive to his field and there head his Kafir corn without any assistance whatever or need of a second party to handle either a knife or to pass the corn up to him to be headed in the wagon, as is the usual practice among the growers of this product. Many changes of detail may be made in my device, and though but one form of the same is herein disclosed I do not wish to be limited too to the specific details of this present construction, and also to be protected in those changes which may be made and yet not depart from the spirit of my invention.

Having now fully described my invention and the operation thereof, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In aheading device, a pivotally-mounted cutting member, means for guiding the same having a slot therein to receive the cutter, means connected with said cutter and the frame of the device for normally elevating the cutter, means for depressing the said member, and means connected with said cutter and the frame of the device for guiding the last-named means, substantially as described.

2. In a heading device of the type set forth, the combination with an end-gate of a wagonbody, of a knife or cutter pivotally mounted thereon, a guide for said cutter mounted on the wagon comprising a slotted bar mounted on the wagon-body adapted to receive the cutter therein, a rod carrying a. stirrup secured to said knife whereby the same may be operated by means of the foot, and means for retracting said cutter to an elevated position, substantially as described.

3. In a cutting device of the type set forth, the combination with the wagon-body, of cutting means pivotally mounted thereon, arms secured in either end of the cutting means, one of said arms being angularly disposed to the same, means for elevating said cutting means secured to the said arm, a slotted guide member adapted to receive the other of said arms, and means connected with said arm adapted to actuate the cutting means, substantially as described.

4:. In combination with a wagon-body, an end-gate, a knife pivoted thereon, a guidebar having a slot therein to receive said knife, means for normally holding said knife in an elevated position, above the end-gate, and means adapted to be operated by the foot for operating the knife, comprising a rod secured to an arm mounted thereon, a guide for said rod secured to the said guide-bar for said knife, and a stirrup mounted at the lower end of said rod, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROYAL MARION HAMMOND.

Witnesses:

WILBERT TIGLEY BELL, WM. JUSTIN GARRETT. 

